Carpet and Rug Cleaning: Regular Care Makes Your Carpets Last

Molly Maid|September 11, 2013

Regular carpet cleaning is a must. Shoes and pets track in dirt and other debris. Dust settles into fibers. Even bare feet, no matter how clean, do damage; the oils from your skin coat the carpet and hold fast to everything previously mentioned. Without regular cleaning, the carpet in your home will wear before its time, requiring you to pay for its replacement earlier than necessary or be too embarrassed to have guests over. Learn how to maintain your carpet to extend its life.

Vacuum Effectively on a Weekly Basis

In our how to vacuumpost, we go over how to get the most out of your vacuuming sessions. For example, did you know that you should dust before you vacuum? And that you should work backwards, making multiple passes over the same area to ensure you pick everything up? In other words, don’t rush the task no matter how much you dislike it. Also, don’t forget to move furniture to vacuum underneath it on a regular basis, if not weekly. We also recommend immediately treating stains and offer tips on how to do exactly that in the post.

Hire a Professional Carpet Cleaner to Deep Clean or DIY

Carpet manufacturers recommend deep cleaning every 12 to 18 months. Hot water extraction is the most common method used. You can hire a professional, or you can purchase or rent a cleaner from your local home improvement store to DIY.

In addition to saving you time and effort, hiring a professional has many benefits. Hot water extraction involves spraying hot water with cleaning solution onto your carpet. The professional then uses a powerful vacuum to suck up the liquid and leave your carpet clean. Most companies use truck-mounted machines as they offer the most suction and therefore the best results. You won’t get such power from the portable machines available for sale or rent to consumers.

Commercially available carpet cleaners can cost as little as $100 and up to around $800 to purchase. Rental machines such as Rug Doctors are readily available at grocery stores. They typically run about $60 per day once you add in all the supplies needed. As mentioned, though, they don’t clean as deeply as the truck-mounted machines professionals use.

The average cost of a professional carpet cleaning services ranges from $0.30 to $0.50 per square foot. Some companies charge by room, but limits on the amount of square footage allowed in a room without an upcharge work out to about the per-square-foot amount. And if you consider the professional services as an investment in the lifetime of your carpet, the cost is worth it. Plus, carpet companies regularly offer coupons and specials, allowing you to get a discount. Stain and odor removal are typically available, but not covered in the base price.

Certain Molly Maid franchises offer professional carpet cleaning, and they actually use an exclusive dry extraction method that results in clean carpet without the waiting time for the carpet to dry. They also offer inclusive and easy-to-understand quotes up front. Contact your local Molly Maid location to inquire.

No matter which method you use or whether you hire a professional or DIY, don’t skip this important to-do on your house-cleaning list.

Carpet salt stains are a common problem in northern climates where deicing salts are used to treat sidewalks, driveways, and streets in the winter. This makes it easy to track deicers into your car and home. If you own a local business, your customers may track in high amounts of salt, which can ruin your carpeting. Don’t be salty! Follow these do-it-yourself salt stain removal tips to restore your carpet to its former glory. Natural Salt Stain Removal If you want to keep things chemical-free, try this technique for removing salt stains with nothing more than vinegar and warm water: …